equipped to play CDs, LPs, digital audio tapes (DAT), and other audio cassettes

6listening/viewing rooms (accommodating up to 4 people each)

study carrels

not assigned; open to all at any time

Collections

Today, the Conservatory Library's collection consists of approximately 270,000 items, comparable to the largest music libraries in academic settings
both public and private. The collections include nearly 80,000 sound recordings; 127,000 musical scores; nearly 63,000 books about music; and 210
periodical titles. Approximately 2,000 recordings, 3,300 scores, and 1,400 books are added to the collection each year. The Library's collection includes
a substantial foundation of Western art music from all historical periods, complete editions of the works of major composers, as well as an ever-growing
collection in the areas of women musicians and American, ethnic, contemporary, jazz, folk, and popular music.

The Conservatory Library’s Special Collections represent a vast musical spectrum from extremely rare jazz sound recordings as found in the James and Susan Neumann Jazz Collection to 16th century theoretical treatises from the distinguished library of Frederick R. Selch. Contact Jeremy Smith, Special Collections Librarian and Curator of the James and Susan Neumann Jazz Collection for additional information.

Collection Organization

Most periodicals are shelved alphabetically by title

Recordings are shelved behind the circulation desk

Purchase Recommendations

Suggestions for the Collections may be directed to Deborah Campana, Conservatory Librarian.

Gifts

Given the Conservatory Library's space constraints, we must be highly discriminating in adding gift materials to our collections. If we cannot accept a gift, we would be happy to help donors explore other venues for depositing materials.

Milestones in Conservatory Library History

Soon after the inauguration of the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in 1865, the Conservatory
Library was established. Approximately 10,000 scores formed its core collection.

With additional scores, reserve-shelf books, public school materials, and reference resources, the Library's collection numbered approximately 35,000 by 1940.

In 1958, the Conservatory Library became an administrative unit of the Oberlin College Library system.

By 1964, it had moved to quarters housed within the Conservatory's new facility designed by Minoru Yamasaki.

In 1988, the Conservatory Library opened a new addition designed by Gunnar Birkerts and Associates that stands to the south of Warner Concert Hall. This
addition nearly tripled the Library's space, although only one of the addition's two floors was fully complete at the time.

The Conservatory Library was renovated and expanded in 2000; an elevator was installed to provide public access to the newly-completed West Wing's second floor
and high density shelving was added for extensive collection growth.

For more historical information about the Oberlin Conservatory Library, consult the bibliography.